The Latest: Victims' attorney: PG&E $11B settlement positive

1of8FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2018 file photo, with a downed power utility pole in the foreground, Eric England, right, searches through a friend's vehicle after the wildfire burned through Paradise, Calif. Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to pay $11 billion to a group of insurance companies representing most of the claims from Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 as the company tries to emerge from bankruptcy, the utility announced Friday, Sept. 13, 2019.Photo: Noah Berger, AP

2of8FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2019, file photo, a Pacific Gas & Electric worker walks in front of a truck in San Francisco. Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to pay $11 billion to a group of insurance companies representing most of the claims from Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 as the company tries to emerge from bankruptcy, the utility announced Friday, Sept. 13, 2019.Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP

3of8FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 28, 2019 photo, a man holds a sign at a rally before a California Public Utilities Commission meeting in San Francisco. Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to pay $11 billion to a group of insurance companies representing most of the claims from Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 as the company tries to emerge from bankruptcy, the utility announced Friday, Sept. 13, 2019.Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP

4of8FILE - In this Dec. 16, 2017, file photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, flames burn near power lines in Sycamore Canyon near West Mountain Drive in Montecito, Calif. Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to pay $11 billion to a group of insurance companies representing most of the claims from Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 as the company tries to emerge from bankruptcy, the utility announced Friday, Sept. 13, 2019.(Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP, File)Photo: Mike Eliason, AP

5of8FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2018 file photo, Pacific Gas & Electric crews work to restore power lines in Paradise, Calif. Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to pay $11 billion to a group of insurance companies representing most of the claims from Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 as the company tries to emerge from bankruptcy, the utility announced Friday, Sept. 13, 2019.Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, AP

6of8FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2017, file photo, Pacific Gas & Electric crews work on restoring power lines in a fire ravaged neighborhood in an aerial view in the aftermath of a wildfire in Santa Rosa, Calif. Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to pay $11 billion to a group of insurance companies representing most of the claims from Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 as the company tries to emerge from bankruptcy, the utility announced Friday, Sept. 13, 2019.Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP

7of8FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2019, file photo, a Pacific Gas & Electric worker walks in front of a truck in San Francisco. Pacific Gas & Electric and a group of insurers say they have reached an $11 billion settlement to cover most of the claims from the 2017 and 2018 wildfires in California. The utility said in a statement Friday, Sept. 13, that the tentative agreement covers 85% of the insurance claims, including a fire that decimated the town of Paradise.Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP

8of8FILE - This Nov. 15, 2018, aerial file photo shows the remains of residences leveled by the Camp wildfire in Paradise, Calif. Pacific Gas & Electric and a group of insurers say they have reached an $11 billion settlement to cover most of the claims from the 2017 and 2018 wildfires in California. The utility said in a statement Friday, Sept. 13, that the tentative agreement covers 85% of the insurance claims, including a fire that decimated the town of Paradise.Photo: Noah Berger, AP

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on PG&E agreeing to pay $11 billion as part of settlement with insurers (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

An attorney representing hundreds of California wildfire victims says Pacific Gas & Electric agreeing to pay $11 billion in a settlement with a group of insurance companies is a step in the right direction.

Gerald Singleton represents more than 5,000 victims who lost their homes in Northern California wildfires started by the utility's equipment.

Singleton said the agreement announced Friday is good for the beleaguered company because it now has reached settlements with insurance companies and public entities.

He adds "now we just have to get a fair amount for the individuals."

The utility announced it agreed to pay $11 billion to a group of insurance companies representing claims from Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018. It also reaffirmed its commitment to paying $1 billion to local governments.

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7:20 a.m.

Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to pay $11 billion to a group of insurance companies representing claimants from deadly Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018.

The utility said in a statement Friday the tentative agreement includes insurance claims from the town of Paradise, where 86 died last November.

Insurance companies who reached the settlement said it it well below the $20 billion the insurance companies had sought in bankruptcy court.

PG&E Corp. on Monday released a plan to offer nearly $18 billion to victims, insurance companies and cities and public entities in California that battled fires sparked by electrical equipment.

PG&E sought bankruptcy protection in January because it said it could not afford an estimated $30 billion in damages.

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Corrects first item to remove reference to settlement covering only 85 percent of insurance claims.